Stranger in the Crowd
by foreverabasketcase
Summary: She was no one in the orphanage and yet she found herself to be amongst people who were like her in many ways. She kept to herself, hidden from society, hidden from everyone, even herself. But when he would emerge, so would she. [Complete.]
1. Stranger in the Crowd

**Summary:** She was no one in the orphanage and yet she found herself to be amongst people who were like her in many ways. She kept to herself, hidden from society, hidden from everyone, even herself. But when he would emerge, so would she.

**---**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except the OCs listed. Alright, I am updating this story because I felt I could have added on to it a bit more. This is a revision to chapter 1 and coming up next will be chapter 2. I'm not quite sure how long this will be, possibly 3 or 4 chapters long. Either way, I hope you like it and please remember to R&R! Thank you! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 1: Stranger in the Crowd**

Laughter consumed the air in Wammy's House as the children all played happily in the backyard and common room. For those who didn't know what Wammy's House's true purpose was for having these children in this great establishment, they would have thought the orphans were like any other children often found in an orphanage. Of course, this wasn't the case for the kids in Wammy's House.

This orphanage was an establishment for kids of the future. A good look at these children – and not just a brief glance but a really good look into their souls and minds – would reveal a future doctor, or lawyer, or something greater that would bring justice to the world. But most importantly, there were those few in line to become the greatest form of justice this world had ever seen.

"L…" the name came so naturally out of her mouth as she stared into nothingness, a slight pink hue on her cheeks. She tested out the name again, as if to make sure it would still come out as beautifully if she said it again. And it did.

The girl stood from her empty, plain bed and slowly made her way to the full length mirror in her room. Her steps were small but graceful, like that of a cat's. Calm yet fierce and beautiful. She looked into the mirror and her eyes saddened.

"There's nothing there….just a girl with no future," she whispered to herself as she touched a strand of her waist-long jet black hair. Her dark violet eyes scanned her reflection with sorrow. She desperately wanted to prove herself to him. She wanted to show him that she was capable of many good things. She wanted to show him and only him. She wanted to be noticed and recognized.

The church bell rang and she glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was the afternoon and she still remained in her room, doing nothing but pondering about the future and about L. She sighed and walked back to her bed, not wanting to leave the comfort of her room. There was no school that day to worry about and she'd much rather be crumbled up into a ball on her bed in her oversize black pajamas than out in the open with the other kids playing joyously around her.

A knock at the door made her look up suddenly, wondering who it could be. She walked towards the door slowly, not caring if the person behind the door became impatient with the slow, fluid steps she took. Once at the door, she opened it to reveal the only friend she had in the orphanage. The little white boy, her opposite and yet, at the same time, her equal: Near. She nodded her head once, acknowledging him but said nothing.

"You said you had another puzzle to show me?" he asked in that soft, mature voice of his. His voice didn't suit a child and yet it was perfect for this interesting character standing before her. She nodded and walked inside, leaving the door open for him to enter if he pleased. He did so, hesitantly at first before taking a few steps inside, stopping when the lack of light became difficult for him to see beyond that point.

"Here," came her soft, childish, cutesy voice in return. A light blush formed on his cheeks at the sound of her voice. It was rare to hear her talk and when she did, any boy would blush at how innocent and cute her voice sounded. For her age, one wouldn't expect such a voice for her but her appearance didn't match her age.

"Thank you Shadow," Near replied, taking the puzzle out of her hands. The girl, Shadow, nodded in response, some of her long black strands falling in front of her face.

She didn't often respond to that name. To her, the name didn't describe her. It was an overview of her position in the orphanage-- just a shadow, a stranger in the crowd. Her real name had been long forgotten after her incident which had been what lead her there. She had remembered little of her past, little of how she wound up at Wammy's House. All she knew was that, there was no need to question it. She didn't regret living here, she didn't hate it. She always had one thing to look forward to.

"L should be arriving soon," Near responded gently before taking his leave. This seemed to perk up the frail looking little girl as she hesitated a moment before following him out. She squinted slightly, the light outside the confinement of her room bothering her. It took her a while to adjust to the lighting so she gripped Near's white pajamas from the back for guidance. There was no protest from Near as he continued to walk as if nothing had happened.

Soon, they found themselves in the common room filled with children crowded around a stage. More children were still rushing in through the other doors, wanting to get a good enough spot up front. Shadow bit down on her lower lip, feeling butterflies fly around in her stomach. She showed little emotion on her face but inside she was excited. On rare occasions such as these, L would appear to give out a speech to the crowd of gifted children and she would greatly look forward to it. Even though she was never at the front -- always in the back, hidden, admiring from afar--she was excited and happy for once.

"Keh, I see little Near and Shadow are already here, ready to kill the mood for us," a harsh voice sounded from behind Near and Shadow as they looked behind them to see a tall boy with chin-long blond hair dressed in a long black shirt and pants walking towards them. A red-haired boy in a black and white striped shirt, tan vest-like jacket and jeans followed close behind him.

"Mello," Near simply responded, acknowledging him but not really caring for his appearance. Mello growled slightly at this, obviously annoyed by Near's lack of emotion.

"Get out of my way albino freak," Mello growled at him before pushing past Near and Shadow.

"Good day!" Matt saluted playfully at the two as he passed by, a gameboy in his hand, currently on mute and pause. Shadow nodded at him, not saying anything to either of the two boys. She only talked to Near from time to time and she knew better than to associate too much with the elite three.

Mello cared little for her. He mostly paid her no mind, as if she didn't even exist. It was rare for him to address her in any way but when he did, she didn't really feel acknowledged. She knew exactly what he thought of her. Because she was not number one, he did not hate her, but because she was, in a sense, Near's friend, he disliked her. But there was no reason for him to associate with her so he did not acknowledge her most of the time.

Matt, on the other hand, would try to get her to talk -- for some unknown reason to her. Perhaps he just wanted to get a reaction from her or made a bet with the guys. Whatever his reasoning, she paid him no mind most of the time.

"Let's go," Near whispered to her, snapping her out of her train of thought as she followed close behind him and towards the kids seated in the crowd, currently in awe. She glanced up to see what all the fuss was about and blushed slightly as she saw the figure of her admiration standing proudly on stage.

He glanced over to the two, seeing Near and Shadow arriving and a soft, small smile graced his lips. Shadow quickly looked down as she sat down next to Near. She reminded herself that he smiled because the number one had arrived, not because he noticed her.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs before she rested her chin on her knees. She did this when she was either consumed in something that caught her attention or she felt uncomfortable. She felt both. She was not used to being out in the open like this but she paid little attention to that at the moment as she looked up at L to hear what he had to say.

"Isn't L-sama amazing?" Shadow looked over at the sound of a girl whispering this to another.

"Hai! He's so cool. I want to be just like him!" another girl replied, sighing in admiration.

Shadow stared at the two in wonder. She was currently being distracted from L's speech by these two girls who were nowhere near the top of the pyramid at Wammy's. She never really paid much mind to her own standing in the orphanage, but somehow she wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't even listed at all. She was, after all, invisible. But these girls had caught her attention, not because of the good things they spoke about L, but because of the blushes present on their faces. It reminded her of how her cheeks would turn pink at the mention of L's name every time she looked in the mirror.

She found herself feeling a pain in her heart and got up to leave, no longer wishing to stay in such a place. Why she felt this way, she wasn't certain but she knew it was because of the pink tint on the girls' faces.

She arrived at her room by the end of the speech, her slow walking being the cause of it. Once behind her closed doors, she felt safe and comfortable. It took her a bit to readjust to the darkness in her room but she still managed to make her way to her bed, the path being all too familiar to her already.

There was a knock at her door once more, shortly after she situated herself on her bed. She didn't bother to respond to it. She didn't wish to see anyone at the moment. She just wanted to sleep away all confusing feelings within her.

The door opened and creaked slightly as someone stepped in. She paid no attention to them since her back was to the door as she faced the wall and closed her eyes, trying to lose herself in sleep.

"Are you alright?" came the monotonous, beautiful voice of L. She felt her heart leap within her chest at this but otherwise she made no response to it. It was silent for a moment and so she decided to end it.

"Hai," she replied simply, her cutesy, gentle, little voice barely audible. L nodded as he took a few steps towards her.

"You worried me when you left all so suddenly," he responded, taking a seat at the edge of her bed. She closed her eyes tightly, the beating of her heart increasing even more. She was confused. Had L been watching her all this time? And why she was feeling this way? It was one thing to admire someone so much and another to love. Was this love?

There was a shift in weight as she opened her eyes to see what was going on. She was startled slightly when she saw L's face only a few inches away from her own.

"Are you certain you're alright?" he asked once more, no emotion present on his face. She mentally cursed herself for not being as good at keeping calm as he was. She nodded, unable to speak up once more.

"How old are you?" he asked her, catching her off guard. It was a simple question but not one she was expecting.

"Fourteen," she replied softly, without hesitation.

"Mmm. Your voice doesn't suit your age...," he noted as he bit his thumb, processing this information. He didn't move from his position close to her face and her heart didn't stop racing in her chest. She nodded at this. She already knew this from what others would say about her.

"You have awfully long hair," he pointed out, not taking his eyes off of her face. This confused her a bit was well. How did he know how long her hair was when it blended so naturally with her pajamas? Had he really been watching her this whole time?

"I like it long," she replied, turning slightly so that she could look at him better. He smirked.

"I like it long too." At this she found herself blushing. He noticed this instantly. It wasn't hard considering how pale her skin-- resulting from the lack of light in her room. He leaned even closer to her face and closed his eyes. She did the same, not sure what to expect. She gulped. She never liked surprises because they had never brought anything good for her before.

She felt something cool yet warm at the same time on her forehead and she slowly opened her eyes to see his lips pressed lightly against her skin. Her blush increased, as did her heart while her eyes widened in wonder. He pulled away after a few seconds and he smiled down at her.

"I hope you get better….Shadow-chan," he replied before standing from her bed and leaving her room. She slowly placed a hand where he had kissed her. He had said her name. He had kissed her. He had acknowledged her. For once, she didn't feel like she was a stranger in the crowd.

With these thoughts in mind, she pulled the covers to her and slowly drifted to sleep, a gentle and happy expression on her face-- first of many to come.

--

I hoped you liked how this turned out. I personally found it cute. Please R&R! Thank you!

By the way, in this story, my OC Shadow is 14 years old. L is 23, Near is 13, Mello is 14, and Matt is 13.


	2. Goodbyes

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own anything nor anyone from Death Note, even though I wish I did. Only thing that belongs to me in this story are the OCs. Anyways, I hope you like it and please remember to R&R! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 2: Goodbyes**

Her eyes stared blankly at the floor. Her expression was no different than it usually was times before, yet there was a trace of hollowness in it that resembled the agony she was feeling deep inside the pit of her stomach. But she did not cry. She just sat there feeling empty and incomplete.

She finally closed her eyes after a while, the news finally sinking in after so long. It was probably already too late for her to voice her opinion-- not like her opinion even mattered when she was an invisible resident in Wammy's House.

She sighed ever so slightly as she lied down on bed and allowed her thoughts to wander to earlier that day.

---

_Shadow was outside her room for once, walking the empty halls of the orphanage at seven in the morning. It was a Saturday and therefore no children were up yet to get ready for class. After the incident in her room where she had finally been acknowledged by L, she began to wander the hallways at the orphanage while everyone was still in their respectful rooms. It was the first step for her in stepping out from the shadows and into the light for everyone to see._

_It was through this that she came across Roger's door, slightly ajar and inviting. She did not dare go inside, knowing how bitter Roger could get if anyone invaded his space without his knowledge. That still didn't keep her from peaking inside the office, curious to see the interior of the room. Step halted, hearing soft voices coming from inside. She closed her eyes and focused on what the voices were saying._

"_Are you sure about this, L? It could be dangerous if you decide to take on this mission," Roger's voice sounded worried yet at the same time amused. Shadow opened her eyes slightly, squinting in confusion._

"_I have already decided. I will be heading to Japan in a few days for preparations on the Kira case," L's monotonous voice replied almost instantaneously. Shadow could hear a faint hint of confidence in it._

"_How long do you except to be gone?" Roger questioned, uncertain of how this mission would turn out. There were things even the greatest detective on earth could not predict. The outcome of every assignment he took would contain unexpected solutions. This one was no different from the next._

"_If all goes well, we plan to return in three months. There are still several more cases that need tending to," this time it was Watari's turn to comment on the situation. Shadow's heart stopped beating for a moment. Three months? Was L really going to be gone for so long?_

_She began to wonder what was so special about this Kira case that would take an unusual long amount of time for L to solve. She felt something coil in her stomach and suddenly felt ill. The whole idea of this unknown case felt wrong to her. _

"_We leave in the morning. Please make sure Mello does not cause anymore trouble with Near," L called from over his shoulder to Roger who just nodded in response. L and Watari walked out of the office, a quick look around them showed no one in sight, yet there was a lingering feeling in the atmosphere which L took quick notice of._

_Shadow slowed down her pace once she arrived at the hallway leading to her room. She refused to dwell on what she had just heard. She wanted to pretend nothing was wrong. L was not leaving to Japan tomorrow morning. He was not risking his life by being too close to the criminal behind whatever the Kira case was about. Her painful gut feeling about the outcome of this mission was not even there. She was just imagining things._

_---_

She spent most of the day in her room with these thoughts in mind. Lying to herself was the easiest thing to do to keep from thinking about the worst thing possible. So when a knock came from her door-- similar to the one from the night L walked into her room and kissed her-- she took no notice of it. It wasn't until L's hunched form looked down at her in wonder that she noticed someone had walked into her room without her knowledge.

"You know." It was not a question but a statement. Without hesitation, she nodded in response. He said nothing, just sat down beside her and look away in thought. She didn't know what to do. Her head was still spinning from the shocking news -- refusing to accept it, yet at the same time expecting the worse to happen. Was it wrong for her wish for him to stay and miss taking on possibly the worlds greatest case in the world?

L glanced down at Shadow, feeling her eyes watching him closely. He took great notice of the hollow look in her eye. He reached out and touched her -- his hand running through her long, soft black hair in such a smooth and loving motion that it startled her at first but she soon came to long for it. He smiled softly. For once there was emotion evident on his face. It was a pained yet loving smile, the only and last she would see of his.

"Don't go." The words slipped out from her mouth before she could register what it was she had said. That pink blush appeared on her cheeks once more, proof of her mistake. L pulled away and stood from his seat on her bed.

"It will take no more than three months. I shall return."

_No. You won't. _Her eyes closed slowly and remained closed for the longest time that any other person would have thought she had fallen asleep. They opened after a while and looked up at him, that hollow feeling still present. She said nothing as he walked towards the door to make his leave. It was late and it was best he did not stay any longer than intended. As he reached for the door handle, she quickly stood and crossed the room in less than a second. She then reached out and grabbed his arm. He was surprised by this, not expecting her to move so quickly when she usually is slow.

"Don't go," she whispered softly before hiding her face into his long white shirt. Her little hands grasped tightly onto the cotton fabric, afraid that if she let go, he'd disappear and never come back.

He turned around in her grasp and lightly pulled her to him. He didn't look at her as his hand once again got lost in the long black mass of her hair.

"I won't be gone long," he replied, ignoring the way her breathing slowed and how her hands tightened more and more as the seconds ticked by.

"...promise..." her reply was so soft he almost didn't hear it. He let his hand rest at the side of her face as he once again closed his eyes and leaned down to kiss her exposed forehead.

"Wait for me." Those were his last words before he disappeared from her bedroom forever. She just stood there staring at the floor. His lips were no longer warm against her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling cold and so alone.

---

Shortly after Mello exited Roger's office and to his room to pack, Near headed for Shadow's room. He didn't bother to knock. He just walked inside. He was surprised to see some light radiating in her bedroom. He ignored it for now and sat next to her on the floor where she was currently playing a game of chest on her own-- a stuffed elephant on the opposite of her.

"Roger just gave us an update on the Kira case." This seemed to momentarily catch Shadow's attention as her hand paused above one of her pawns before she picked it up and moved it onward.

"L is dead." The words fell so naturally out of his mouth that she failed to notice the slight sign of sympathy in Near's voice. Shadow remained perfectly still as she stared at the board game in front of her, seeming lost in deep concentration regarding her next move.

Near stood and left minutes later when he failed to see any reaction from her. As soon as she made sure he was at least twenty feet away from her bedroom, she let the tears fall down her face.

"You promised..."

---

I know this chapter was sad but from the beginning I had no intention on having Shadow and L develop any form of relationship. Neither of the two strike me as the type to jump into a relationship, though I do picture L not caring at all for age differences. Anyways, I hope you liked this and if not then I fail in life. Please R&R and stay tuned for what happens next. Ja ne!


	3. If I Could See You Again

**Disclaimer:** My list of ways to get rich quick is currently still blank so I'm sad to say that I still don't own Death Note. Ha! Just Kidding! Only thing I own in this fanfic are the OCs used. Other than that I own zip! I hope you like this chapter and please be so kind as to leave a review. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 3: If I Could See You Again...**

"I'm just saying man...are you sure about this? It sounds too dangerous. Even for you." The red head crushed the little cigar bud in his hand before flicking it to the other side of the street. The blond teen beside him bit bitterly into the chocolate bar in his hand before shooting him a glare.

"I'm not about to let that stupid Near get all the credit. I've worked far too hard to let it all go to waste and allow him to once again be at top. No way. That little white fluff of nothing is not winning this one," the blond replied viciously at his friend. The red head just huffed in response before taking out his gameboy from his back pocket.

"I'm just say, Mello. It doesn't always have to be about Near."

"Oh just shut it, Matt," Mello bit back before reaching for the door nob of their apartment. He paused for a second before swinging the door open quickly and drawing out his gun, firing two times into the living room without looking to see who was inside first.

A lone dark figure sat calmly on their couch. Her eyes looked at the table in front of her. Her long black hair blended perfectly with her block long sleeve shirt and loose black jeans. The gun shots had missed her by two inches and had instead made two holes on the wall behind her on either side of her head. The shooting hadn't startled her at all, to their surprise. She slowly lifted her head up to look at Mello and Matt who stared at her with slightly wide eyes, shocked to see her in their home.

"Shadow?" Matt was the first to speak. He called out her name, uncertain if the girl sitting in their living room was really Shadow-- who had gone missing shortly after Mello had left the orphanage.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Mello asked bitterly, his hand tightening around the gun in his hand. He didn't appreciate having Near's childhood friend in his current home.

The girl stood up slowly, her movements smooth and graceful-- not at all frightened by his harsh tone and deadly glare. She had grown little over the years. Her skin still remained pale and smooth and her hair had stayed waist long and that beautiful jet black color of hers. Her choice of clothing had switched from black pajamas to black t-shirts and jeans. Her expression was void of any emotion but her eyes had remained hollow after all these years.

"Well? Are you gonna explain yourself or do I have to shoot you again to get an answer?" Mello aimed the gun at her forehead, his patience quickly fading. He never could tolerate her slow pace.

"If you wanted to shoot me, you would have done so when you entered the room," Shadow replied softly. Mello winced at the sound of her voice. It had lost its childish tone and developed a soft, dead ring to it. It almost made him believe that she truly was dead.

"What did you say?" He removed the safety lock on the gun and tightened his finger around the trigger. He didn't want to admit defeat to this girl who was far beneath him in his eyes.

"You want answers from Near-- answers that not even Halle can give you," she responded without hesitation, not afraid of his threats. Mello's hand shook in anger before he let it fall and forced his hand to loosen around the gun.

"What do you have to offer? Make it quick or I'm kicking your sorry ass out of here," Mello's voice barked at her as he took another hard bite out of his chocolate bar. Shadow's eyes momentarily faltered upon seeing the familiar chocolate bar as her mind recalled painful memories of her favorite sweet-loving detective.

"He plans to switch Kira's death notes," she responded before taking a seat once more. She pulled her legs against her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Perhaps habits truly never die. Mello glared at her, irritated by her simple news.

"That's it? I already knew that from Halle. I should have known you were just a pathetic excuse of a-"

"It won't work."

"What?" Mello narrowed his eyes at Shadow, confused.

"He'll fail and die. It won't work." Mello frowned at this. He didn't want to win by default. He wanted to win the game by beating Near to Kira not by having Near be eliminated before either of them caught Kira.

"What do you suggest then? That I help Near? If that's what your trying to do then you're insane. I'll never team up with that little bastard," Mello growled at the idea. He'd much rather be dead than get together with Near.

"You plan to help him anyways." This simple yet insulting statement caused Mello to shoot at her again. This time, the bullet missed her face by only a few centimeters and still she remained calm as if nothing had happened.

"What the fuck are you on about you pathetic wimp?" He almost spat in her face as he walked towards her-- his whole frame shaking in pure anger. Matt followed close behind him in case he let his anger get the best out of him and he attacked Shadow.

"You plan to kidnap Takada. You can lie and say you are only doing it to beat Near but that lie won't work on me, Mello. As much as you hate to admit it, you know that there will be no other way to stop Kira than to draw them out by force. Shoot me all you want. I won't take my words back." Shadow closed her eyes, her throat aching from all the talking she had done. She spoke less now that she was out of the orphanage than she did when she was still in it.

"And where do you fall into all of this?" Mello questioned bitterly, deciding best not to argue with her. He just wanted her to get straight to her point so he could kick her out of his home and find another hideout so she wouldn't track them down again.

"I have a better plan."

---

Mello growled angrily for the hundredth time as he waited bitterly at the church Shadow had asked him to wait for her. She had refused to answer any of his questions about the plan. She simple told him to wait at the church and asked Matt to drive around town to dodge the police. Whatever other instructions she had given him were kept secret from Mello.

"She's late," he mumbled to himself before chewing on his half eaten chocolate bar. He turned up the volume to the portable T.V he placed beside him. He wanted to stay updated on Matt as he drove away from the police. The image was a bit hazy and in black and white; it made it hard for him to see properly into the driver's seat.

The sound of a car heading his way caught his attention and he looked up to see who it was. His eyes widened slightly in shock and confusion as he saw who it was that was driving the van. Gun shots brought his attention back to the television screen as he watched a figured dressed in all black be shot down by the cops.

"S-Shadow!" He shouted in shock as the figure fell backwards onto the car and slipped off and hit the floor.

"Hey, Shadow told me to bring Takada here. Where is she?" Matt asked as he got out of the van and walked towards Mello. He noticed the blond staring at the television screen and looked over to see what was so interesting that kept the blond from greeting him.

---

A dark red pool slowly formed around the lonely figure as she struggled to breathe. Her dark violet eyes had darked even more-- almost appearing black as her life was slowly being drained from her. She saw nothing but black specks in her vision but she didn't care. For once in six years, she was glad to feel something else besides sorrow. The pain was almost unbearable yet she welcomed it and even begged for more.

Rain had started to pour down on her small form and granted her that request as her blood ran more freely down her skin and onto the pavement. The pain intensified as the murky water touched her wounds, making them ache more than they already did. She didn't scream, however, as the pain surged throughout her whole body.

She smiled bitterly as she imagined Near and Mello watching her death from the television screen. She chuckled once, blood spluttering from out of her mouth as she thought of Kira himself seeing her death. She found it amusing to think of him squirming in his seat, trying to figure out who this girl dying on live television was.

_He'll never find out. He'll always wonder about his mistakes._ She allowed her eyes to close for a moment as she heard the police officers surrounding her start to retreat.

"Shouldn't we end her life already? She's still alive," one of the officers asked out loud. She could feel him eying her from where he stood.

"Nah, let her suffer before she dies. This will be Kira's judgment on her," the chief replied before getting into his car and driving away with the rest of the cops. Shadow couldn't help but laugh at this. She found it hurt to laugh and so she did it again. And again. And again.

_Why do I feel so alive now that I'm almost dead?_ Tears slowly mixed in with the rain as she felt her whole body slowly grow numb. Her skin was now ice cold. Her death was near yet she felt as if her life was just beginning.

---

Mello opened the envelop Shadow had given Matt for him to deliver to Mello. He didn't understand Shadow's actions at all. She had told Matt to drive around to distract the cops while she took Takada to the church where Mello waited. Her secret orders to Matt had been to meet her at a warehouse for more instructions. It was there where she gave him the envelop for Mello and quickly exchanged cars with Matt. As Mello opened the letter inside, all his unanswered questions became clear.

_Mello._

_Although I wished for all this to end soon, I fear the outcome to each case will always be unpredictable. That is why L never chose a successor before his death. Nor was he ever going to. Together, you and Near would surpass L. That is why, I leave behind this letter as a reminder of my sacrifice so that you and Near can defeat Kira together and restore justice to this world. The two of you are two missing puzzles of L's game. One cannot exist without the other. This world cannot be restored without the two of you._

_I hope you two can learn from each other-- just as I have learned from watching all of you. Although I might not have been at the top of the class at Wammy's House, I knew far more about each one of you than either of you knew about yourselves. And I know you hate to admit the truth, even when it is staring at you right in the face. It is time to stop seeing Near as an obstacle and starting seeing him as a companion._

_With this being said, I wish you can respect L's decision from the very beginning. Without Near, you are nothing but a pawn. And without you, Near is nothing but a false replica of L._

Mello knew not what to feel about the letter he held in his hand. For once, he was not consumed by anger at the thought of joining Near but he could not lie and say he was happy about it either. But as he stared at the last lines Shadow had written before she sealed the letter, he couldn't help but see the truth in her words. What good would come from beating Near in this game if he could no longer show L that he could be just as good as Near, if not better?

Matt placed a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at his friend. He slipped his goggles off his face and stared into his friend's eyes, hoping to read what he was thinking. Mello looked away, considering Shadows words.

"Come on, Matt. We got a lot to do," Mello stood and walked away, tossing his chocolate away in the process. Matt followed, confused by his companion's actions.

"Where are we going?" he asked, curious.

"To see that stupid Near about the Kira case. Time we stop being brats and grow a pair," he mumbled bitterly, still not that keen on the idea of joining up to be L's successor. Matt chuckled to himself before following, ignoring the burning van behind them.

Shadow's orders had been specific-- almost as if she had seen the future and known what they had to do in order to survive their confrontation with Takada. First, they had to force her to call Kira once they arrived at the church and make her tell him she had killed Mello like he asked her to. Afterwards, he would kill her and they wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. Then, they had to leave the scene before the police arrived.

All evidence of there ever being a Mihael Keehl was not found at the scene of the crime and both their corpses were long gone before the police even discovered the burning van. All that Kira had to work with was the mysterious girl that died on live television but she had no name. Not even as he requested a name from Mikami was he able to identify the girl and her connection to the Kira case. He had no order choice but to assume she had been hired by Mello and fallen in the process.

---

So as Shadow's spirit watched Kira's end approach, she wore the same pained yet loving smile L had given her before he left her. She watched with keen eyes-- just as she would watch the children of Wammy's House-- as Kira cursed at Near and Mello. He ran like the coward he truly was, clutching at his wounded hand and shoulder, in search for a way out. His mind raced as he tried to find a way out of this mess. But Shadow knew that there was no way out of this one. And she knew because, just like Near, she could see what would happen next.

As Ryuk withdrew his death note and wrote down Light's name on the paper, she smiles once more and rose to greet the figure she had longed to see after all these years. His figure hunched over slightly as he too watched Kira's demise and she then realized why she laughed on her death bed.

Because now she was able to see him again.

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This is not the end just yet. One more chapter left. I'm a bit surprised by how this chapter turned out. It's still a bit depressing but I felt it was necessary in order to save Matt and Mello. I personally don't like toying around with Death Note's original plot too much because I love the anime/manga to death but I don't think I can handle writing about Mello and Matt's death after already writing about L's death. Next chapter will be a bit less depressing. Also, I hope I did an okay job portraying Mello's persona. I personally find him to be an interesting character. Anyways, don't forget to R&R! Ja ne!


	4. Moonlight

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except my OCs and imagination. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it for you. Please remember to R&R! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 4: Moonlight**

He had always watched her. From the moment she stepped into his room, he had been fascinated by her. Her small, slow, fluid steps were so adorable yet mysterious. Everything about her was a mystery - one which he bowed he would solve. If only she would let him…

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_Her little white hands grasped her white teddy bear tightly as she hid in the furthest corner in the closet. She stared at the door in front of her, no emotion present on her face. The only sign of fear she gave off was the clutching of her stuffed animal as if clinging onto it would bring her family back and save her from the horrible man invading her home._

_The sound of footsteps alerted her that someone was near. Still, not even when she heard a loud thump and more footsteps trespassing in her home did she close her eyes and huddle in fear. She stared in wonder at the white door in front of her--the only thing separating her from her death. Her head began to spin as memories of her family clouded her mind. Regardless of how awful her mother and father were to her, she never wished them dead. She was only four years old and didn't know about such things as love and hate nor death._

_The door abruptly opened and she looked up, ready to die like her mother and father had. But instead of staring into the cold green eyes of her murderer, she found herself looking at a gentle elderly man who smiled kindly at her._

"_Come here little one. You're safe now. The bad man is gone," he said in the gentlest of voices that she immediately believed him. She withdrew one hand from her teddy bear and grabbed the hand he offered her._

_Together they left to Wammy's House where her new home would reside. She forgot the incident almost as if it had never happened. When asked what her name was, she just stared blankly at the owner of the orphanage. Many began to doubt she was capable of talking and instantly labeled her a mute. The caring old man just smiled and quickly handed her a new pair of pajamas so she could change out of her torn, bloodied ones._

"_Little one, I would like to introduce you to someone. He was the one who lead us to your home and to your rescue. This is L." That was the first time she laid eyes on L, the world's greatest detective--well one of many that is._

_L didn't look up at her as she entered but continued to pile up his little sugar cubes into a variety of towers. The pale little girl watched the thirteen year old boy with great curiosity. She observed how he carelessly stacked the sugar cubes yet managed to keep them standing long enough to create his cute masterpieces. L finally looked up when he heard no reply from the little girl. He saw her watching his every movement carefully. He picked up a sugar cube and offered it to her, noticing how interested she seemed to be with his creations. _

_She blinked in confusion. She looked up at his face and for the first time in that day her face reflected fear. L resisted the surprising urge to wince. He was not one to show his emotions but he was still young and new to the title of L. He was only human and could feel emotions like everyone else. He was just better at masking them. In time, he would learn to ignore them completely without any effort. But for now, this little girl before him was puzzling him. It was logical she would be afraid and silent but her eyes… They were so…beautiful, despite the fear present in them._

_He stretched his hand a bit further to her, encouraging her to take the sugar cube. Why he did that instead of taking back his precious treat, he didn't know but it annoyed him greatly. She looked down at the sugar in his hand before glancing up to him to make sure it was alright. Not seeing any objections, she slowly reached out and grabbed the cube. Almost instantly, they both withdrew their hands from each other and looked away, the sugar cube now on the floor, long forgotten._

_She looked down at her hand, a slight blush crawling on her cheeks, the first of many to come. How did a brief touch of skin affect her this greatly? L, with the same thoughts in mind, risked a glance at the little girl in the room. He suddenly felt his cheeks burn. He looked away and returned to his sugar._

"_Please escort her to her new room, Watari-san," Watari nodded, a bit surprised by their reactions but he smiled nonetheless. These two would make an interesting pair._

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She sense his presence before he even appeared. It sent a shiver down her form but she remained still, not uttering a word just yet. They watched with mournful eyes the death of Kira and the rise of L's successors. She couldn't help but feel a sick sense of happiness upon witnessing Kira's demise. This was the man who killed the one she loved and the man who threatened all which she had grown up to protect. She also knew, L shared similar feelings although he mourned the loss of a friend.

As if reading her mind, he turned to her, his eyes slowly drifting from Kira's corpse to Shadow's ghostly figure. She looked up at him too, her eyes shaking slightly with wonder. Her heart gave a tug as she took in his form. He looked just like the last time she had seen him.

"You came…" She felt a lump rise up in her throat and he eyes moisten slightly as L's voice drifted between them. He smiled softly at her, his voice still as gentle as she had remembered it to be. She nodded, not trusting her voice to convey her true feelings.

He took a few steps towards her, his hunched form still so much taller than hers. Slowly, his hand reached out to touch her again and she let him. He withdrew his hand slightly after a brief grace of skin but then smiled more before letting his hand disappear into her long, dark locks.

She leaned into his touch and grabbed onto his hand, not wanting to lose him once more. He smiled slightly at this before resting his forehead against hers.

"I'm not leaving…not this time…not when we now have forever." She let a soft, short laugh escape her before she let the tears finally fall. She was happy. She was loved.

He softly wiped away her tear with his thumb, overwhelmed with happiness now that he finally had her. After all these years of watching her….watching her watch him, he finally had her in his arms.

He pulled away and gently grabbed her hand. She entwined her fingers with his before following him into the moonlight. She picked up her pace slightly to whisper something into his ear. He stopped and looked down at her, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Is that….your..?" he didn't finish asking the question, not wanting to get his hopes up. Shadow, however, just smiled.

"Hai…my name….my real name," she replied, her voice once again held that cute, soft ring to it. He smiled brightly before tugging her hand slightly towards the light. Where they were going, she no longer had to worry about hiding and watching. She had no reason to be Shadow anymore nor did she have a reason for being a stranger to others - a stranger caught in the middle of a crowd of brilliant minds striving to become like L.

She looked up as L called out her name - her real name - and smiled before looking around her. This was their paradise now - their moonlight.

The End.

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After so long, I have finally found the time to update this. I'm so sorry if it's awful. I had to write segments of this chapter in an extended period of time. It probably doesn't flow but I owe you something for leaving this story unfinished for months now. Anyways, I certainly love how this story turned out even if it was completely different from what I had begun with.

I'm probably going to get yelled at for not adding any more romance into this but I feel that this version of Shadow-chan isn't the type of person to be all romantic and clingy after having her feelings for someone be reciprocated. As for L, he's not one to love so I picture him being content with just having someone by their side.

I had planned on adding a scene that explain Shadow's infatuation with L. I wanted to show her spy-like abilities develop as she settled in at Wammy's and observed how the other children were like. I wanted to develop her character as the watchful, silent yet brilliant mind caught up in her own world but, because of my delays, that scene didn't seem to find a way to fit in on this chapter. This much is certain: Expect an editing of this chapter during the summer, lol.

Anyways, my final words to you are: I hope you enjoyed this reading and please remember to R&R! Thanks so much and stick around for my original creating of Shadow in my next Death Note fanfic coming this summer: Shadow. Ja ne!!!


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